Sack opening device



Nov. 7, 1950 E. c, sw s I. 2,528,562

SACK OPENING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1946 v 1 2 Sheets-She'et 1 Nov. 7, 1950 E. c. swANsoN 2,528,562

' SACK OPENING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (7 cl zyzvrole.

HTTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SACK OPENING DEVHCE Elmer C. Swanson, Larchwood, Iowa Application January 14, 1946, Serial No. 641,084

1 Claim.

My invention pertains to a device or arrangement for opening sacks.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which allows convenient and rapid opening of the upper end of the sack containing flour, or any other substance.

, A further object of my invention is to provide a tight closure at the sack end, which, however, is quickly detached.

v A further object of my invention is to provide such an arrangement which can be formed through ordinary stitching or similar operations with merely the addition of a single unit resilient piece for the purpose to be described.

A further object of my invention is to provide the aforementioned construction in an arrangement which involves the use of simple .manufacturing operations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sack arrangement which can be conveniently opened up to provide a wash-cloth or similar cloth, and incorporating the aforesaid sack Opening device, or devices.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a forward elevation of a sack containing flour or other material showing my device attached thereto,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail,

Figure 3 is a sectional view in detail of the device,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a further detail,

Figure 6 is a slightly modified form of the arrangement,

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a section showing an enlarged detailo-f the structure used in Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a further slight modification,

Figure 10 is a modification showing the use of a single stitch arrangement,

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional detail of Figure 10,

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail,

Figure 13 is a further enlarged detail using the single stitch arrangement,

Figure 14 is a further detail,

Figure 15 is an elevation of a sack employing a modified structure,

Figure 16 is a sectional view of Figure 15 taken along the line l6l6 thereof,

Figure 17 is a sectional view of Figure 15 taken along the lines |l-l1 thereof, and

Figure 18 is. a view of the cleaning cloth formed when the sack of Figure 15 is completely opened.

I'have used the character Hi to designate a fabric or heavy canvas sack which contains the usual product such as flour and the like and which includes the upwardly extending top flaps H. Inserted through one upper corner of the sack at E2 is a highl resilient strip 53 made of rubber or any other suitable material having high stretching qualities. Stitched along the upper end of the'sack is the-line of stitching indicated generally by the character [3a. The stitching is that type of stitching wherein each stitch comprises a pair of stitching cords with the loops of one cord being retained or gripped within the loops of the other cord. This is shown more clearly in Figure 5 wherein the stitching is shown slightly opened in order to clarify the description.

One cord of the stitching is indicated by the character 14 which passes through the two plies H of the sack into the loop !5 and thence comes back through the same opening at it and con tinues on to the next loop. At the other side of the sack there is provided the further cord 51 which extends into the downwardly extending loop l8 which loop is entirely within the loop it so that when the stitching is pulled tight, the loop l5 will grip and retain the loop Hi, there of course, being a succession of such stitches along the width of the sack. The'same type of stitching is also employed through the resilient strip is and in the same identical manner, and the respective cords I4 and Il terminate in the extended portions i9 and 26 which project slightly beyond the resilient member l3.

It will now be particularly'noted that at the portion of the arrangement where the stitching passes through the openings 2! in the resilient member l3, that such stitches are firmly retained against removal due to the resilient effect of the highly stretchable material about the openings which grips and securely retains the portions passing therethrough. This arrangement, then, eliminates the necessity of tying a knot at the side of the sack for retention purposes. This is especially true since the member I3 is of substantial length with a portion thereof lying within the boundary of the sack and a slight portion extending beyond, providing a series of gripping points.

When it is desired to open the sack, the extending portions 19 and 20 are pulled, which thereby pulls the loops [8 out of the loops l5 and also will then pull the loops [5 out of the openings l6 and 2| so that, as a result, the cords I4 and I! will be separated and the end of the sack will be opened, which eliminates the undesirable features of requiring cutting of the end of thesack and eliminates the objections of untying knots and other features. The sack can be stitched in this manner through ordinary operations with merely additional means for inserting the member I3. 7

Figures 6 to 8 inclusive illustrate a further modification'of the arrangement which incorporates the same type of stitching and the like with the exception, however, that a plastic strip 22 is folded about one edge of the sack, with the stitching being applied through this member in the same manner. In this structure the plastic retaining member will not pass through the sack but will be exteriorly thereof and it will not extend beyond the sack. Otherwise the construction is the same as that previously described Figure 9 illustrates a plan View of a similar modification with the exception that a plastic strip 23 is placed at one side of the sack and with the stitching passing therethrough.

Figures 10 to 14 inclusive illustrate the same type of plastic strips, or similar members as shown heretofore with the exception that these strips or members are used with a single stitched arrangement, or wherein a single thread only is used, instead of the double thread shown in the previous figures, or double threads consistin of standard stitching comprises the thread 24 passing through the openings l6 where it continues into the doubled portions 25 and into the doubled over end loops 26 which are, pushed down into the next succeeding opening. 16, and in'this way provides a continuous single piece of thread which is doubled back upon itself, etc. The end opening I6 of the resilient strip can either receive the thread Has shown in the solid lines or as in the dotted structure (see Figure 12). The single thread will then terminate in the extending portion 27 which in all respects is similar to the extending portion I9 of the other figures, pulling of this portion removing the thread from the plastic members.

Figures 15 to 18 inclusive illustrate a type of sack using my arrangement wherein the sack can be changed into a wash-cloth or similar cloth after the contents have been removed. In this construction, the sack includes the top stitching as shown in Figure 10 and includes the customary inwardly bent flaps 28 along the side thereof, with the flaps 29 terminating in the plastic member 22,'and the end portion 2'! of the single stitching 24. The stitching 24 passes along the bottom of the sack and is applied through the flaps 29, and thence continues along the side flaps 28 and terminates at 36 at the upper corner of the sack. The side 3| of the sack is continuous and is not stitched. After the sack has been emptied by removing the upper stitching 24, it is turned inside out, which puts the flaps 28 and 29 externally of the sack. The lower extending portion of thread 21, which is stitched into the insert 22 afiixed to the corner of the flaps 29, is then pulled out, and all of the threads are pulled out along the members 29 and 28 up to the point 30.

This action completely frees all the bound edges of the sack with the exception of the edge 3|, and the sack is then completely spread out to its fully extending position shown in Figure 18 where it can be used as a wash-cloth or as desired.

It will now be seen that I have provided .all of the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with otherv advantages being readily apparent.

Some changes may be'made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departingfrom therealspirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within its scope.

I claim as my invention:

A sack openingdevice comprising a pair of stitching cords stitched along the normally open end of a sack, one of said cords passing through the sack plies and including integral loops, the other of said cords including loops within said integral loops, a normally stretchable resilient member attached at the end of said stitchin and resiliently retaining the. stitching thus formed. said resilient member including open.- ings tightly and, resiliently receiving the loop portions of one of said cords to tightly retain said cord therein until forcibly. removed therefrom by pulling on said cord, said resilient member being folded exteriorly about one closed edge of the sack."

l H ELMER C. SWANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Date 

